--Shego--

Riding back on the huge lizard, that her new friend had called a Dewback, Shego found that not only was it better than walking, but the company wasn't bad either. Deciding that her usual snarky comments should be used carefully until she learned more, she fielded dozens of questions at him. He answered each in stride. "Where am I?"

"In the saddle?" when she didn't respond, he continued "You mean more galactically I assume. You're on Vel'Trione Alpha, near the Galactic Rim."

"Thank you. Now, what are you talking about?"

"Amnesia?" he countered.

"No, I just can't remember anything."

"I guess I deserved that. Alright, the long version." he related the most recent events, though in terms of the Trione, that was quite a long time. He began with the start of the Empire, and sketched through it's defeat at Yavin, then Endor. He continued through up until the Vong." Shego laughed at the name.

"Sorry, it just reminded me of something."

"It's okay. Anyway, the Vong did something the empire could not. They found out about us, and proceeded to attack. Six heavy warships arrived through one of the pathways of the subspace anomalies that surround our star system. Fortunately, a meteor watch station noticed them and relayed a warning. We met them and decimated the fighters they used to attack us. While we couldn't see them with the Force, the fighters we used have other talents."

"Fighters? Like fighter jets?"

"Yes. But spacecraft actually. As a matter of fact..." Drinz scanned the sky, then pointed. "There." what flew over head was perhaps twenty meters long, with an ovoid cockpit, and three long fins projecting out from behind it, reaching around the front. Even from the ground, Shego could see that the fins bristled with nearly a dozen laser cannons, which she learned were called blasters here. As it raced overhead, she saw the tail of the ship was as organic as the rest of the ship, but a single glowing thruster protruded from it.

"What is that?"

"That is a Vel'triene Interceptor."

"What's it made of?"

"A tree."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. It's called a Golgenth tree, and it doesn't need roots to live, just to grow. It's still alive, so we can upgrade, or alter them without rebuilding the entire thing. Now, where was I?"

"The alien people were attacking."

"Ah right. We weren't actually trying to fight them just with fighters, but we were waiting for support. Six of our cruisers were on patrol near one of the other entrances to the system and came to assist. They managed to crush all but one of the Vong ships and we assumed they'd stay gone. We weren't right, but we got reports of them advancing. And so we grew our defenses."

"Literally I'll bet."

"Yes. Three of the largest warships we'd ever built. The Telsior our flag ship, and the twin ships Endanger, and Envison. The Vong came back with an even larger fleet, but we met them with these three Diacholac Vertronia-class, and the ten cruisers and our fighters. Fortunately, this time they came in the front door."

"Wait a second. You told me these... Vong, were very resistant to conventional weapons? How did you defeat them so easily?"

"We, as a race are fascinated by technology, and one of the things we really like are Tractor Beams, which can be used for many things. And at certain sizes they can even move entire ships around. Imagine the power of something that can move a kilometer long freighter around. Our destroyers, and the Diacholac Vertronia use these as weapons. The anomalies I mentioned? We have positioned a series of tractor beams to make moving supply ships in and out of the system much easier. So when I say we crushed the Vong ships, I mean that in the most literal sense of the word."

"Are you serious?"

"Absolutely, the three warships and the cargo beams simply crushed the fighters, and then ripped the capital ships into pieces. After they'd killed millions, we didn't feel at all uneasy about annihilating them."

"That's..."

"Monstrous? So I've been told. I've argued for it as well as against it. But it's done." he shrugged. "Anyway, after that, I was asked to be one of our people's representatives to the new Galactic Alliance." he continued his story, relating how he had met the Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, and been accepted into his Jedi Academy. He'd trained with a Jedi named Katarn, and a woman named Culindra. He'd fallen in love with the latter, and married her at the Jedi Temple. He was home now after the birth of his son Drad. Then he shocked her telling her of his wife and daughter Linea.

"Wait a minute. I thought you married... Culindra."

"Did I confuse that? Actually, I married Eiane first. She was my betrothed, and as a fully realized Trione, I had to marry. Turns out the wedding night was pretty magical."

"Stop, unfamiliar term. Realized?"

"Sorry. It refers to my eye. All but a handful of Trione can sense the Force, but the potential is stronger in some than others. The more powerful we are, the more we can open this third eye. My mother for example is very strong, while my father is not. His skill as a warrior makes up for it though. I am... fully realized, which means I can open the eye all the way, and if I close my eyes, I can see with the force, and feel with it. Where the rest of the Galaxy was almost wiped clean of force sensitive's, we survived by staying hidden here. So when I came to the Academy, I brought some traditions that had been thought lost. And in turn they taught me a few tricks, that I hadn't known."

Shego opened her mouth to ask another question, when her ears caught a distant bell. "Someone has seen us it seems."

"Why do you say that?"

"I can hear a three tongued bell." for a moment there was no reply then.

"I never expected." he turned back, letting go the reins. Morg continued without deviating at all. "Close your eyes for me a moment."

"Why?" she queried suspiciously.

"Just humor me." she did so. "Now without cheating, tell me how many fingers I'm holding up."

"Three. Two. Seven." she opened her eyes. He was holding up five fingers, and two illusions were hanging in the air. "Want to explain?"

"You're Force sensitive, and fairly strong I'd guess. An interesting development."

"Yeah, interesting."

--Kim--

After the first day of interrogation, Kim was left alone in the brig. A trooper brought her a meal twice a day, and beyond that she was ignored. On the third day, her meal did not arrive. At first she thought they meant to starve her, but instead she heard weapon fire. She dove for what cover there was as the door exploded outside her cell. "Move to the side of the room." She did so and the door was blown across the cell to the back wall. A trooper stuck his head in and waved her out. It was not one of the white clad warriors who worked for her imprisoners and she was grateful. She was led out with a number of other captives, and loaded into a small transport ship. Blasters continued to rain back and forth around her, as the ship took off. She saw outside the ship as the huge triangular warship fired green energy which the transport skillfully evaded. Then they were gone, the stars elongating, then vanishing. She was brought food, but the troopers did not talk, nor did any of her fellow prisoners, though the looks on the faces of the latter showed they were not happy about this turn of events. After a few hours, the ship decelerated, and an automated voice announced landing. Several soldiers entered the rear ramp, one carrying a screen. Kim caught a glance of a list and photos as he walked past. He pointed to two men and a woman. The guards didn't speak, they simply raised weapons and fired. Kim didn't even have time to move, before the bodies slumped to the ground. She fought back a gasp. Then she and the others were led out of the ship. They were separated into two groups and led into the bowels of the ship. It looked nothing like the ship she'd been rescued from. Or at least she thought she was rescued. Once more she was thrown into a cell. But this had escape possibilities. Much larger vents and the door had no food slot so it had to be opened to bring her food. She found she was not comforted by this knowledge. She was on a ship in space, and there was no where to go. She instead settled down on the mattress to sleep. That's when the screaming started. It was obviously a woman, and she was not screaming for joy. Immediately, Kim began trying to escape, now finding a reason. Whoever had taken her was worse than those she had been taken from.

The grates were held on with screws, and she undid them with her fingernails. The airway was just large enough for her to crawl through. She followed the sound of screaming and found her target. The woman was strapped into the chair, stripped from the waist up. A large metal sphere was hanging in the air, piercing her body at random intervals, aiming for pressure points and nerves. The screen below Kim was well secured, and the passage too narrow to bring her legs up to kick. She could only watch as the woman was tortured until she passed out. Then a large syringe appeared from the sphere, and pierced her neck. She woke almost as soon as it was empty, and the torture began again. Kim almost vomited, and then began backing down the shaft. She sat on her cot and tried to ignore the screaming. It wasn't always women, but men too, and voices she could not identify. For nearly a week she remained in the cell. Then the door opened, and three guards entered. One leveled his weapon at her and the other two took her arms. She attacked, trying to kick at them, but they wore thin armor that blocked her blows. She heard the blaster arm, and she lashed out mentally. A flood gate broke open in her mind, and the two holding onto her arms were slammed against the walls. The blaster bolt deflected from her out stretched hand, and her fist came forwards, surrounded in a ball of energy. The head of the guard exploded in a shower of blood as she drove her fist through his head. She walked past the slumped body, into the hall. The fire had attracted more guards, and she turned to meet them. Bolts reflected into the chests of those that shot them. Kim walked forwards, power reaching out and ripping off the doors of the chambers to either side. Some fell along the floor, others were blown to bits and then used as shrapnel, tearing into the chests and throats of the guards. The door to the torture chamber was stronger, but no match for her newfound might. It squealed and creaked as she wrenched it from it's hinges. There was no one on the table, but she saw them in her mind. The table bent and twisted, wrenching back on itself. Like the doors it shattered under the incredible pressure. The sphere was docked in the wall, recharging. Kim's hand rose, and from it, issued bolts of blood-red lightning. The sphere exploded. She turned away. Behind her, the chamber wrenched in on itself.

She worked her way through the ship, killing with lightning and pressure, and shards of metal. And a few she simply ripped apart, including the man with the screen. Finally, she arrived on the bridge. Several officers tried desperately to surrender, but she killed them all. The captain she killed by severing his limbs, sealing the wounds with force lightning, then beating him to death. She hung the body by pressing it into the wall above the door to the bridge. From space, three of the triangular ships appeared. Biana was the first to reach the bridge. With a wave of her hand she signaled for the Stormtroopers to remain outside the door. She entered slowly, walking carefully to avoid putting her boots in the puddles of drying blood. She scanned the area, and noticed the limbs lying on the floor. Inwardly, she winced. She looked up and saw the body of the captain. Now she smiled. She'd suspected this was the result of force powers, but this was proof. She continued forward, and saw the young woman sitting on the floor, arms over her head, and crying softly.

"It's alright. They are all gone now."

"It's not alright. I killed those people, all of them. I... I couldn't stop myself." Kim rocked back and forth.

"It's not your fault. We should have been able to stop them from grabbing you. We knew they had these, but we never could find them." Biana's head shook.

"These? What do you mean by these?" Kim asked, tear streaked face looking up.

"Torture ships. An entire fleet. They used them to extract information from prisoners, and then burned the bodies."

"Used?"

"When we sensed you reach out, we found the fleet and destroyed them all. By killing these few dozen, you've saved thousands. And you will receive a heroes welcome. Come." Biana held out a hand, and Kim took it. Biana led her back to the door, again stepping through the puddles, gently guiding Kim so that she stepped in them. She led the way out, and nearly at the ship, she stumbled. Kim caught her, which caused her to look downwards.

"No.. no.." Biana pulled her head up.

"Don't think about it. Just close your eyes. You are alone in a void of darkness. Nothing can affect you, nothing can harm you." Biana removed Kim's boots, and passed them to a storm trooper. The trooper nodded, and headed towards another transport. Only when the trooper was gone did Biana continue. "Open your eyes, and let's continue." Biana led her on to the ship, not letting her turn to look again. On-board the transport, they sat together, so she would not feel alone, but not so close that the carefully picked troopers couldn't clap her on the back and call her a hero.

Verya was waiting in the hangar. She bowed her head. "I apologize to you my lady. We should not have left you there in the brig, but we were trying to determine your identity. I beg your forgiveness."

"It's.. it's not your fault." Kim looked around at the assembled troopers. "What are they waiting for?"

"Your speech." Biana replied. "When such a glorious victory is won, a speech is traditional. You have struck a blow to the Galactic Alliance, a greed-loving money mongering war machine that seeks to destroy us. We fight to free the people. With your aid our goal can be achieved." Kim nodded, and produced an impromptu speech. The cheers were deafening. Afterwards, the Admiral, and Biana personally led Kim to her new chambers. The Admiral left, and headed back to the bridge. Biana remained.

"You are new to the powers of the Force I suspect. But from the strength of what I saw, and felt, I believe you are even more powerful than the foul Jedi Skywalker."

"What is a Jedi?"

"An evil alliance who seek to destroy our right to lead our people where we choose."

"We?"

"My apologies. We, the Sith, an old term meaning Leader and Protector. The Jedi would tell you it means Tyrant and Destroyer, but they are the Tyrants, seeking to impose their own rule on the universe." Biana lowered her head, and shook it softly. "We have battled them for centuries, and thought we had finally exiled them all, then this monster Skywalker attacked our greatest achievement, a space station the size of a small moon, built with hospitals and capable of carrying millions of tons of supplies to aid planets stricken by natural disasters. They called it a weapon, because yes, it did have a laser weapon capable of piercing the crust of a planet, and was powerful enough to destroy them. But it was built to destroy dead worlds and harvest the precious minerals inside. And could have been used to relieve the pressures of volcanoes before they erupted into cities, or destroy asteroids on collision courses with planets."

"What happened?"

"They attacked, with swarms of fighters, and launched a torpedo down one of the exhaust ports. The station exploded, and slaughtered nearly two million people. And they had the gall to call it a glorious victory." Biana shook her head again. "But with you to help us, we have a chance to stop them once and for all. We can finally bring peace to the galaxy. But first, you need to be taught to control your power. For now rest. In the morning your training begins." she left, and Kim curled beneath the blankets of her bed, holding tight to another pillow.

"Well?" Verya asked.

"She begins to believe. What you were able to strip from her mind is more valuable than I could have imagined. Soon the rebel fools will understand what it is to engage the might of the Empire." Biana smiled.

"And the deception on the Jarla?"

"Eminently successful. The reconfiguration worked perfectly, though I am sorrowed to report the loss of one torture chamber, and one Captain Koran." she could not keep the smile from playing across her lips.

"Ah well. What a waste of a perfectly good torture chamber."